Is Lonnie Smith #255 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1985 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Lonnie Smith #255 sells for $51.21 against $1.67 raw: a $49.54 spread, 31× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($39.99) clears the raw price after an economy-tier ~$25 fee, so a near-miss still comes out ahead. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $1.67
- PSA 10
- $51.21
- PSA 9
- $39.99
- Gem premium
- 31×
- As of
- Sep 3, 2026
Break-even by outcome and fee
| If it comes back… | Sells for | Economy / bulk (~$25.00) | Standard (~$50.00) | Express (~$150) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gem — PSA 10 | $51.21 | +$24.54 | −$0.46 | −$100 |
| PSA 9 | $39.99 | +$13.32 | −$11.68 | −$112 |
| PSA 8 | $4.80 | −$21.87 | −$46.87 | −$147 |
Net = sale price − $1.67 raw value − fee. Fee tiers are illustrative; plug your grader's current price into the calculator below.
Expected value — how often does it need to gem?
| Chance it gems | Expected sale | Expected net (standard fee) |
|---|---|---|
| 25% | $42.80 | −$8.88 |
| 50% | $45.60 | −$6.07 |
| 75% | $48.41 | −$3.27 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
Which grader pays the most — and what a 10 takes
All centering standards →| Grader | 10 sells for | vs best | Front centering for a 10 | Back |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BGS 10 | $67.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $51.21 | −$15.79 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $31.00 | −$36.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $31.00 | −$36.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
Tolerances are each company's published centering standard for its top grade; surface, corners and edges must also be clean. Centering is the one you can measure yourself before you pay.
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Grading Lonnie Smith #255 — FAQ
Is Lonnie Smith #255 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Lonnie Smith #255 sells for $51.21 against $1.67 raw: a $49.54 spread, 31× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($39.99) clears the raw price after an economy-tier ~$25 fee, so a near-miss still comes out ahead. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Lonnie Smith #255 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Lonnie Smith #255 (Baseball Cards 1985 Topps) sells for about $51.21 versus $1.67 for a raw near-mint copy — a 31× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Lonnie Smith #255?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $67.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $51.21. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Lonnie Smith #255 need for a BGS 10?
BGS publishes 55/45 front and 70/30 back centering as the tolerance for a 10 (Gem Mint). Off-center copies are capped below the top grade regardless of surface — measure yours before paying the fee.
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